Quick hits Monday through Friday this week for the holiday–regular items will return next week.
Joe Tinker, manager of the Chicago Cubs shows boys from the Chicago Schools Baseball League the finer of points of hitting before a July 1916 game with the Boston Braves.
Tinker returned to the Cubs in 1916 after having managed the Chicago Whales to the Federal League pennant the year before. Whales owner Charles Weeghman purchased the Cubs after the Federal League folded and installed Tinker as manager. Chicago fans had high expectation for Tinker’s team, because in addition to the manager, Weeghman brought most of the key players from the Federal champions to the Cubs. But after a 9-17 record in July. Rumors began to swirl that Weeghman would replace Tinker as manager after the Cubs owner traded for catcher Art Wilson on July 29; Wilson had been a Weeghman favorite when he caught for the Whales.
In August, Tinker blamed the Cubs disappointing season on third baseman Heinie Zimmerman, telling The Chicago Daily News:
“Zimmerman is no good to the ball team. he does not take any interest in his work and does not care whether the club wins or loses. He did not report for practice yesterday and on other days is always the last one out for work. Most of the players feel he does not belong on the team. He is killing the harmony we had and that is why I would prefer to dispose of him. He won’t play ball and does not use any judgment and with a man like that a flag cannot be won.”
Tinker survived the season, Zimmerman did not. He was traded to the New York Giants on July 28.
The Cubs finished in 5th place, 67-86. Tinker was let go after the season, he was not replaced by Wilson, as rumored, but instead by Fred Mitchell, who after a fifth place in 1917 led the Cubs to the National League pennant in 1918.
Tinker managed, and was a part owner, of the Columbus Senators in the American Association in 1917 and ’18.
Baseball History Daily 
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